60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Corky Cookman at Islip...

 

The Kosher 'Vette with Mike Ewanitsko at the wheell. Islip

 

Jamie Tomaino Thompson Speedway

 

Richie at the 'Head...

 

some more from Martinsville...

Bobby Allison leads the pack in his unique hornet #2



two southern boys: Max Berrier #12 and Johnny Bryant #57



the cookie monster Jerry Cook



?



Bodine and Troyer at the front of the pack

 

and some more...

 

WTG, Richie! Can Pete pirate that?

 

These are all around 1976-77 or so.

 

A few more from the archives...

 

awesome Rich, love the fred shot in the last batch!

 

Don't steal them Pete or I'll call you bad names, whine and complain.

 

Tommy and Two Lane at Riverhead.

 

A few more...

 

After a long day I'm only going to post one photo, wish I knew who the photographer was!


ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR sorry Rich I had to bust some chops tonight! lol

 

That does not look like an image of the Rich Oakley I know.

 

Rich, do you remember where this was taken.
Obviously it's KB in an open competition event. Is it Reading?

Is there a snowball's chance you have a few more form this event?

 

Photo was taken at Bridgeport Speedway; it was the first Run What Ya' Brung event. I have more images from that race but I have to get the negs scanned, I don't have a scanner that'll do that.

 

I was at a graduation party today for a friend in racing and was talking with fellow HAMB'er Kris Holmberg, told him I came across the last day of events at West Hampton Speedway today. The track was intact except turns 1 and 2. no cars have raced there in 20 years, the track was destroyed 3 or 4 years ago for adult homes......








































longest post lol

 

not mods but thought it was a cool history piece as mods ran there!

 

I remember we ran there in 1975 with our Mustang and also remember Joe Ciski run there in the #0 Sprint car

 

Mods used to run there on friday nights, in the early sixties. I think they did run it in the early 70's also, but did not use the full half mile.The eastern bandits also ran there in the early sixties.

 

I think chuck Pecora has the negatives of the Mods that ran at westhampton, I have one of Eddie Flemky taken by him.

 

I'm amazed at how thin the paving was (see picture) on the main track.

The 1/2 mile at Westhampton (NY) was a paper clip shape, with looooooong straights & tight corners. Tough on both brakes & tires.

The late Bob Hager made some improvements to the place in 1975 .. concrete front straight wall, some debris fencing above it, some skimpy misery mix asphalt pads & access roads in the very sandy pits, many new planks in the grandstsnds, a gutted mobile home (thanks to the late Paul Chew) was hoisted by a crane above the grandstands and placed on telephone poles to be used as a Press Box/Scoring Tower, etc.. .... Hager then unsuccessfully promoted a few modified races (I "think" some street stock/bombers ran seperately too?) .... ALL WITH OTHER PEOPLES MONEY, MATERIALS &/or LABOR!! I'm told that he took those unpaid debts to the grave with him, some years later. .... Bob Hager was a character, to say the least.

His pace car was an ungainly AMC Pacer.

Adel Ambrose (Junior Ambrose's Mom) ran "the" concession stand and had some REALLY GRRRRRREAT home cooked food.

The surface of the track(s) was VERY weathered and VERY abrasive.

I "think" it was 1977 when Ray Plaktis attempted to promote some midget races there.

Although there were an adequate number of cars for both the modified & midget attempts, they were both failures as there weren't near enough fans in the stands to come any where close to paying the bills.

 

Ken it was a sad sight, go-karts ran there for many successful years, many top stars of today raced there! But most of the track was still there except turn 1 and part of 2. I know Bob's son who races Enduros, good guy and a character too boot! Such a nice area to race, not many homes where around there, one shot is the end of the drag strip, they were going to turn the whole strip around and head the other direction, that's why you see concrete launch pads! The last drag strip on Long Island!

 

Tommy Baldwin and Reggie Ruggiero Thompson Ct and Bobby Vee

 

It is good to see some photos of this track....My son won a Tri State IKF show at that track in spring of 85....A good weekend of modifieds and karts....A long trip from
Maine to the island....

 

brian c. spent some time at westhampton